The Howard Partnership Trust (THPT) is a Surrey based Multi-Academy Trust, comprising 4 secondary and 6 primary phase schools. We are proud of our ethos of collaboration and inclusion, "Bringing out the best" in students of all abilities and backgrounds.
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Art - Photography

Specific Course Entry Requirements

Grade 5 in Art

Examination Levels Offered

AS and A-Level

Examination Board

Edexcel

A-Level

Photography A-level is linear and will run as a two year A-level. The new A-level is designed to be co-teachable along side those students who only wish to complete the AS. Students who undertake the AS qualification only will complete Unit 1 (50%) and Unit 2 (50%) in Year 12 and receive a standalone AS qualification. Those students who are completing the full two year course will not be entered for the AS but use Year 12 to develop and refine a variety of skills and techniques which they will then apply to their two A-level units in A2. These will be assessed for their final A-level qualification on a 60/40 split.

If you are interested in learning the techniques and analysis of taking, developing and printing both black and white, or colour photographs, manipulating digital, as well as making photographic artworks, then this course will appeal to you. You will be expected to offset some of the expense of the course by contributing to materials and to have your own camera, preferably a SLR or a compact with a manual option.

Year 12 - AS Qualification Only

Unit 1 - Personal Investigation - Internally Set - 50%: Early Experimental photography and Film Noir – (literally 'black film or cinema') was coined by French film critics (first by Nino Frank in 1946) who noticed the trend of how 'dark', downbeat and black the looks and themes were of many American crime and detective films released in France to theatres following the war. Students will create photographic artworks in response to these ideas.

Unit 2 - Externally Set - 50%: This assignment is aimed at assessing the students ability to work independently in response to a chosen starting point carrying out investigation, developing ideas and realising intentions referencing contextual and critical sources Students will need to submit all of their research work and their final outcomes, which will be carried out in 10 hours in exam conditions.

Year 12 and Year 13 - Two Year A-Level Course

Year 12 - Modernism, Dramatic Light and Film Noir – Students will learn, develop and refine a variety of skills with reference to 20th Century image making. Exploring the Photography style associated with Constructivism, Dadaism, and Surrealism inspired a climate of experimentation, with photo-collage, montage, camera-less images, non-objective forms, unusual angles, and extreme close-ups. Developing these ideas through Dramatic light and accumulating into the of anti-heroes in Film Noir were a metaphoric symptom of society's evils, with a strong undercurrent of moral conflict, purposelessness and sense of injustice are explored and visualised.

Year 13 - Unit 1 - Personal Investigation - Internally Set - 60%: Origins – a personal investigation incorporating both visual contextual and written elements. This will take the form of a portfolio of work. Students are encouraged to develop their own personal style and to develop a high level of skill within their chosen specialisms. Students must demonstrate greater maturity and depth in skill, knowledge and knowledge gained from year 12. Staff will also advise and help to organise portfolio work for students who wish to apply for further education within the Arts.

Unit 2 - Externally Set - 40%: This assignment is aimed at assessing the students ability to work independently in response to a chosen starting point carrying out investigation, developing ideas and realising intentions referencing contextual and critical sources Students will need to submit all of their research work and their final outcomes, which will be carried out over 15 hours in exam conditions.